The Castle in Colchester

Visited 30/10 Had Philly cheesesteak, fries and chicken tenders with a few beers. Food was great, and service was good. Really pleasant lunch 👍

Visited your pub, last night and tonight, as my parents are down for a visit. They were very impressed with the portion sizes and general staff you have. I personally, would like to send a positive message to your younger bartender. He was super efficient, helpful, cheerful and his general customer service was exceptional. Please pass this one to your bartender

Excellent Sunday roast large portions beautifully cooked and presented very attentive staff nice table overlooking the road. They also have a dog menu and our pooch was well catered for as well.

Absolutely love this Pub the staff are amazing very informative of all their products. The food is amazing. On my second visit, I had poured barbecue baguette which was absolutely amazing.

Recommend The Castle. We generally go on a Friday evening and occasional Sunday. The staff are really welcoming and the food is very good! Good price for a meal! Nice, quiet pub unless they have music, when it's buzzing. Loved the ABBA night! Michelle & Tony

We had a brilliant meal at The Castle Inn. The bar staff were extremely helpful and advised as on meals and drinks. The food was tasty and the serves were huge. Enjoy one must try the Eaton Mess… it is outstanding.

Popped in for a drink a nice welcoming pub .we also had food which was lovely .very clean and so where the toilets. The waitress was lovely making sure,you was OK with food and drinks.

Fräsch och modern pub. Jättetrevlig personal som var informativ. Mycket god Fish & chips. Fräsch uppläggning av maten.

Denna pub är en riktig pärla, centralt belägen i Colchester. Mycket god mat. Trevlig miljö. Vänligt bemötande och trevlig personal. Bra urval av öl. Jag fick även provsmaka innan jag valde öl.

We visited The Castle on Saturday evening and Sunday lunch time. Had lovely food, chatted to the locals. But, I would stay the staff are just excellent, friendly, accommodating, nothing is too much trouble. They are an asset to this pub, thank you.

Close to the castle gardens, we needed drinks and a light lunch and were pleased that dogs were welcome at this excellent pub. Coffees and fish finger sandwiches and beers were great. Water was provided for our dog. All good.

A return visit to a comfortable and welcoming pub next to Colchester Castle. My grandchildren usually have the hot dog but it is temporarily off the menu. However the manager came to talk to them and said she had hot dogs but not buns would they like it in a baguette? They loved it.

There is a very cute curly hair man served me cheeky smile and very warming and charming... atmosphere was relaxing and delightful as a chef my self I am very fussy and normally find fault in most things but the reason behind my review is I am speechless with the skill of the chef who made my food and they deserve some credit as it was made to professional level and amazing flavours served hot and I really couldn't fault a thing mouth watering thank you so much I am one happy customer for sure ..the level of food here is outstanding and they have definitely gone the extra mile and paid attention to detail well done guys

Me and my family came here for dinner after a day in town. Brought the dog very dog friendly pub and helpful staff. Ordered some picking bits off the menu and a plate of ribs was delicious and they served an array of drinks at the bar. Overall great experience highly reccomend to bring family for a visit.

Only been in to drink but it’s very welcoming and the staff and incredibly friendly . Beer good and price ok. Toilets clean. Will make it our go to place to have a pint when in town.

Both the management and the staff are polite and friendly, they always smile and great sense of humour

Had heared good things about the Caste as hadn't beensince it was revamped. Unforchuanaly the bar experiace was not plesent. The bar girl reaked of cannabis and she was managment!

Visited The Castle at lunch time 28/07/23. Very disappointed . Ordered Hunters Chicken sandwich with Chunky fries on Brown bread also Avocado salad. Waited for 30 minutes to be served. On arrival the sandwich was on white bread without the chips. The server offered to have sandwich remade but we declined after such a long wait. The chicken was tough and inedible. When informing the bar staff he appeared taken aback and said he would inform the chef. I must say the salad was good. Disappointed with staff reaction

Popped in for Sunday Roast. Staff were really welcoming and attentive. Food was lovely and highly recommend. Will be heading back there. Top notch 👌

Be wary of the Scampi! Despite the scampi meal at lunchtime tasting and looking great, by early evening I had violent diarrhoea. The only food I had all day so it narrows down the likely cause. Finished our meal by the time the waiter brought water requested on arrival. Hosts were welcoming and genuinely interested in the patrons. Guess we just had a bad batch.

We went here for lunch today with family, the staff and especially the owner was very rude and abrupt with us, not accommodating at all the food was overpriced and several mistakes with our order. To top it all of there was a family next to us changing a dirty nappy at the table and none of the staff said anything, this really put us off our meal and im appalled that the staff didnt say anything to them.

The Castle Inn is just what a pub should be: clean, welcoming and providing good food. Recently went with a friend and had a huge and satisfying meal of egg and chips. Excellent!

Me and my partner went for a walk. Then popped into the castle for a pint and a roast, honestly i could not fault it the service was great and the the roast dinner was lovely.

We popped in as a family for lunch last Friday. The staff were very friendly and couldn't do enough for us. Drinks and food were good and very good value and good kids menu too. Liked the feel of it with quirky chairs and good amount on space inside and out. Worth a visit if you are in the area.

The Castle hosted our Christmas get together and were super helpful and friendly. The food is really good too! Thank you.

Visited with family for Sunday lunch after a visit to Colchester Castle. I will start with the positive - the staff were friendly and the service was good but that's where it ends! In my view the food was terrible - in fact inedible! We...

Wondered pub/restaurant right next to Colchester Castle Gate at the bottom of Colchester High Street. Staff are always very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable about the special beers & menu. The pub is light and bright with lots of windows overlooking the outside area. Very clean...

Lovely hostess behind the bar, extremely helpful and inviting. Would highly recommend a visit! 10/10

A visit to The Castle with friends for a Sunday lunch time drink. I found the staff rather curt and off hand with little sense of customer appreciation. We saw one customer thrown out and a table of three depart leaving most of their food....

lovely place for a drink , but very disappointed with the food , we have eaten there twice and on both occasions the food was not up to my liking , the chilli was so watery , and the fish chips and mushy peas well...

Our first visit here at lunchtime and was a little dubious since it looked a bit run down and started to walk out of the beer garden. As we were leaving a waiter aproached us and offered us any help and suggested we look at...

I walked in by chance. very clean, and the staff are great . Large ok Rioja @ £9 is London prices. But! No WiFi! What’s that about?

Top class Restaurant and pub next to Castle Park. The Sunday roast is unforgettable! Perfect for a sunny day in the beer garden or a cosy meal inside.

£7 for a overcooked cold fish finger ( fish fingernail) sandwich with stale bread served with stale crisps and aged coleslaw - fake vinegary ketchup in a Heinz bottle (not sure if that’s legal) Staff were nice but food was absolutely woeful

If we had checked the rating before going in, we would probably have not. However whatever has happened in the past doesnt give an indication of how good they are now. We popped on for lunch and had 2 rounds of drinks, The Lagers were...

Amazing food and very friendly owners and staff. Very nice clean toilets and good outdoor seating. The food was served quick and nice and hot. Really good portion sizes. Definitely highly recommend and will be visiting again!

Large fish and chips were good value but £3.50 for a medium size latte was well overpriced. I should have asked for the price first.

A wonderful setting and fantastic atmosphere. The food is of high quality and definite value for money. The staff are happy, friendly and extremely attentive. Highly recommend you try the Castle Inn Colchester.

Since re opening the castle is a top pub to visit for food. fantastic range of dishes and i would certainly recommend trying it out

A well run, socially distanced and clean venue. Floor markings in place and a one way system. Extremely pleasant staff who kept us informed on waiting times for food, and once we had our meals delivered checked that everything was ok. The meal itself was amazing, couldnt fault a thing. Thank you for a really pleasant visit.

we walked past this one monday before our meal and managed to get a drink. it seemed under new managment, hopefully it can get back to its former glory as it has so much potential! the land lady was amazing she was so kind and had a good little chat. certainly worth going to!

Pub clean nice and warm decoration naff white wash chairs to low on some tables. Ordered a pint a lager bar staff gave me a pint one centimetre short of the pint glass when I asked the staff member to top it up to a pint she got the hump price if pint £4.20

I think this place had vastly improved over the last few years with some input of money, you can certianly tell that by the food on offer as well as the high quality beers coming out the pumps. fantastic crisp taste flowing throught.

Very pleasant evening watching my friends band sing. Reasonably priced and will definitely return to try food

Lovely ambience and great place to meet up with friends on a chilly afternoon for drinks. The interior is quite rustic and tasteful. I liked it here as we were able to get a large table for our group to sit at. No loud music which is a real bonus. Splendid location by the castle.

I have continued to bring my walking group and a group of ex work colleagues here on a monthly basis and can't praise Patricia and the staff highly enough. Yesterday 19 of us arrived for a pre-booked Christmas meal which was the best any of us could recall having anywhere else, Superb food and lots of it. And my favorite beer - Old Peculiar.Very Best wishes for Christmas and the New Year.

Visited for a meal and chose from the Christmas menu. Starter of pate and pickle was delicious. Main of turkey with the trimmings was plentiful and beautifully cooked. Had brownie and ice cream for dessert which was very tasty and a good size portion. Staff pleasant and attentive. Well worth a visit and nothing like the pub it was a few years ago. Selection of real ales on pump and large selection of spirits including local gin.

Recently refurbished so feels much lighter and cleaner inside, the bar staff are always welcoming and the crowd seem friendly enough..

My wife and I only had light meals here, but they were delicious and filling. The staff were very friendly and obliging, and the comfortable chairs, well spaced apart for privacy made this an enjoyable way to pass the time. Would come back again if the opportunity was there. The pub was nice and conveniently close to the Castle Museum, which we found a perfect location to finish off the morning visit at the museum.

Was in the area and not been here for about three years, pub has clearly been refurbed. Outside area was nice and toilets were stylish. Drink selection good but not the cheapest. Service was quick but not the friendliest. Had one and went elsewhere.

Used to come regularly, but more than once I have witnessed one of the managers (possibly owner) being very rude and short with customers.On my final visit, I saw the supposed assistant manager be VERY rude with a customer because the were a little slow with paying.The food isn't terrible, but it's all completely countered by the attitude of the some of the people that are supposed to be running the place.I used to enjoy coming here for drinks and a spot of lunch, but what I've whitnessed, I wouldn't give it the time of day anymore. I'd sooner take my trade elsewhere, and would advise anyone else so the same lest you come victim to the wrath of some of the atrocious staff.

Rude ladies serving, wont be back, and wouldn't recommend. Not only that, but much dingier and more expensive then Playhouse, which is only a ten minute walk away. Much better in playhouse!

I previously worked at the Castle Inn for a few years and had my Sons baby shower here so wanted to do the same for my daughter and was excited to visit and see the new updated decor however was extremely disappointed. When booking to hire the function room I met with the landlady who was polite and we discussed numbers and times etc, she explained that I needed to pay a £100 deposit and this was just to hold the room so as long as we turned up this would be returned. The lady asked if I was bringing food and I told her yes and that was that. Today I arrive for the baby shower to set up, the room was very hot and stuffy so I opened the door and windows, the land lady come in and moaned that they was open but after explaining how hot it was agreed to keep them open, she then pulled me to the side and moaned that I had brang food, I argued that she knew this was the case but she told me she only wanted me to bring sweets (she did not specify this prior) she then said this is the only time shell mention and shell leave it there and we can get on. I began setting the room and she returned again right as the shower was beginning she asked if she could hover the room because there was confetti on the floor (never said this wasnt allowed) but I asked if we could wait until the end so I could begin the shower. My guests arrived and we began our baby shower but then the land lady pulled my partner aside and again moaned about the food situation but said she had already mentioned it so will not do it again. Throughout the baby shower the landlady continuously entered the room making rude comments and giving evil looks making us all very uncomfortable and like we could not enjoy the room we hired. The pu states that it is child friendly however the landlady moaned that the children were running around. My partner went to the bar and asked for some cutlery and again she moaned about the food situation. The room was booked for 1-3 and I was told I could come before to set up which I did and was fine but never told that the room had to be emptied at 3 I just assumed it could finish at 3 Nd then I tidy but nope at 2 minutes to 3 she appears again demanding we leave and clean up. I would not have minded if this was discussed before and she had politely said she needed the room back for something else at this time. I did not want to argue so I quickly cleared the room putting all the rubbish into a black bag and asking my guests to take their drinks to the garden. I then approached the land lady to ask for my deposit where she told me she would not return it, I was extremely shocked she explained she will not give it back because of bringing food I argued that this was never in the agreement, she had never said I cannot bring food or that the deposit would not be returned, eventually after arguing with the lady I got my deposit. I joined my guests in the garden and the landlady presented me with the rubbish bag asking me to take it with me I asked why she could not have it in her massive bins and she tried telling me she pays for them and that I couldn't use them (petty woman). I tried to not let the woman ruin my day anymore and continued to finish my drink with my guests when she began slapping reservation cards on our tables, I do not understand why she was not capable of politely saying these will be needed shortly could we move but she began stomping and throwing around the signs to make us move and looking down at us. By this time we had all had enough and left. This land lady is the most rude unwelcoming woman I have ever had the displeasure of meeting, she made what should have been a lovely afternoon with friends and family uncomfortable and made us on edge. I had around 40 guests including the kids and most of the adults paying for several alcoholic drinks bringing her in money for the afternoon which usually if you hire a place is acceptable for the free use of the room. From start to finish this woman was rude and tried to wangle more money out of us by trying to get me to make a bar tab and then telling me I should use the deposit as a bar tab which would be stupid as a pregnant woman I cant even drink so would be paying £100 for everyone else. The landlady needs to learn some manners. Discussing behaviour.

It was a while ago that I last went to the Castle, but I went there again with friends a couple of weeks ago. It had been redecorated, making it considerably brighter indoors. The staff who served me were friendly, and overall it was a pleasant experience. There is quite a lot of seating available outside which will be nice when the weather is warmer.

My husband and I decided that as it was such a nice sunny day we would try the castle pub somewhere we used to go in our youth.

We visited The Crown yesterday for a friend's Wedding Reception.

We went there with a group of 18 with barely 2 hour notice, and the staff did their best to accommodate us and provide great service. We were welcomed in a big backroom overlooking the yard, with big windows. Food was good and service fast. Also, just a stone's throw from the main attraction of Colchester, i.e. the castle and the park.

Stopped for lunch when visited Colchester. Not the cheap food but well cooked and decent size so can't complain. All sitting outside full up on the sunny day but plenty spaces inside. Stuff friendly and efficient. Most surprising how toilets were clean and good size. Usually common issue in old buildings especially pubs. Next door to Colchester castle so lovely to have a little wonder after good lunch.

Stopped in for lunch. Nice bar/pub. Clean and modern with a comfortable feel. Food for the adults and family was tasty and good value. All fed and watered for just over £30. Good visit and recommended

Friendly and efficient service from the bar staff and excellent value. My wife had a prawn baguette - fresh, crusty bread absolutely rammed with prawns and with a side-order of crispy, chunky chips. I had a mixed grill and all the ingredients were very tasty and cooked to perfection. Great quality and value

The castle has been renovated and is now a pleasant place to go for a drink in the evening. The staff are friendly and welcoming. I haven't eaten here as there are no vegan options on the menu which is traditional pub fare.

Visited in December for a catch up with s group of friends. Chose the castle as I had dogs with me and it's one of only a few places in the town centre that allows dogs, so that makes for a massive bonus in my eyes. The food was reasonable and quite good quality. The drinks were pricey though but kind of what you expect for a town centre. Overall a great experience and I would book again

Visited here for lunchtime sandwich and wrap. Drinks a little expensive, just over £12 for pint and large wine, but food reasonable and very tasty. Service and staff friendly and quick service, although not that busy. From our experience, some of the reviews seem quite harsh. Yes the decor and age of pub don't quite gel, but the place is exceptionally clean. Would suggest smartening up the menus though - currently displayed on tatty old paper and clipboards. (Perhaps that's because I'm a graphic designer!).

You can not take a 15th century pub and put it into the 21 century. The place is like a womans hairdressers . the Original oak beams have been painted over with cheap emulsion grey paint and the soul of the pub has been torn out. The food is cheap ingredients and is bland and not very well cooked. Also the prices charged for food are very high for what you get. The landlady is rude and will not take criticism . If you complain you will be barred.

Have recently started visiting this pub with friends. It’s very quiet on a week day lunch time which was good for us as we are Disabled. The staff couldn’t have been more friendly and helpful. The food is freshly cooked, delicious, plentiful and fairly priced. I would definitely recommend this pub especially if you find busier places too over whelming.

Popped in for an early evening drink and possible meal. Staff were very unwelcoming. Setting has been painted but it is very much what is the minimum we can do rather than the best. One young man was standing at side of bar doing very little actually swore loudly about a customer who had accidentally spilt his drink. It is better but menus need to be on tables or offered when you arrive and staff need to be far more professional and polite!

Lovely pub very clean but £8 for large Chardonnay?? Could get cheaper in hotel must stick to beer which was very nice

The room was quite noisy and the meal disappointing. Although it was the Sunday menu for an evening dinner we gained the impression that the cook had experienced a busy day and was keen to close the kitchen and go home.

Visited with wifey, brother, his fiancé, and two toddlers. They have a large espresso machine but “we turn it off when we get busy”. (See photo for what passes as ‘busy’ here, with 10 empty tables and no queue at the bar...

We visited early evening for a drink after a long day walking around Colchester. A good location, just near the Castle and park. It was quiet and we got served very quickly. We were glad to relax after a tiring day and the seats were comfy. One drink turned into two! There is also a reasonable outside area if weather is fine.

Stopped in for a meal before going to the Concert in the Castle, had a great meal and enjoyed the pub. Thanks

Decided to check out the new look Castle..the food was good and reasonably priced, and the interior was decorated nicely but there was a long wait at the bar to order, the football beer lads spoiled the relaxed atmosphere, there were no baby changing or disabled facilities and the plates were cold so the food went cold quickly. If you want to compete with the Three Wise Monkeys up the road this needs to be addressed...surely you want families for customers?? Disapointed and won't be rushing back.

We visited The Castle for a meal at the end of a busy tiring site-seeing day in Colchester 10th August 2018 around 17.00. Initially the pub was empty apart from a family with young children running and screaming around indoors with parents sitting at a table. The pub music was very loud. We asked for a quiet table and were shown to a table near to the family. The food choices were very basic but the fish chips which we chose was excellent. We decided to move table because the children were running around us screaming with no parental control. No action was taken by the woman behind the bar to control the situation even when the mother of the children deliberately came over to us, angry and swearing suggesting if we didn't like the noise we should eat at home! This was a weekend away for us... we are both 70+ and wanted a quiet few moments to eat and enjoy our food. The pub with it's grey interior gives a good impression but we would never eat at the castle again or recommend it to couples, friends or anyone wanting peace and quiet. We were surprised that the employees or owners ignored what was happening.

This was our 5th trip to The Castle. We started coming when they launched a new extensive vegan menu which was fantastic. Since then they’ll taken all the good vegan dishes away and added a few mediocre ones to the main menu. There is no vegan option on the children’s option either resulting in me being charged for an adult portion of food for my 3 yo. The staff are unaware of the vegan options and on our last visit brought me spaghetti bologneise instead of vegan spaghetti. They also charged me more and did not rectify this. This time they did not process all of our order which resulted in food missing when it came to the table. The chips were incredibly greasy and just tasted like fat. We’ve made several suggestions in the past which seems to have been ignored. Unfortunately after another bad visit we will no longer be returning here.

Used to go to this place regularly at the wk about 20 yrs ago when it was a fairly busy pub. Thought I'd check it out its new look and atmosphere. The night I went it was pretty quiet, which isn't a bad thing. The decor is clean and modern, the big screen telly's disappeared and the leather chairs a distant memory. Not sure if it really works though. Prob best sampled as somewhere to go for a meal.

The pub is ok, not really in keeping with the history but the main problem is the landlady. She is VERY fickle, nice one moment & completely unreasonable the next. We went as a family & she decided to take a dislike to one of our group (the most unassuming, polite member of our party). She refused to serve him after two beers & made the rest of us feel completely unwelcome. It was the first time we’ve been in the castle for a while but while she’s there we won’t be back. Really not sure what the problem was as she wouldn’t discuss it but we can only assume that if you are from a minority background don’t bother. ‍♀️️‍

Recently changed decor and seating.This pub is nearly 600 years old . The decor is totally out of place and has ripped the soul out of This old inn.The bar staff do not react with customers. And the food at best is very middle of the road and expensive. Would not recommend it at all. There are better pubs and restaurants nearby.

I have been here several times during our visit to Colchester and it was a nice place to stay for a beer. Even the french fries and hamburger was a good meal.

The Castle pub is situated adjacent to the castle – the clue's in the name! – and whilst the inside area is pretty ordinary, it has a large outside area with several trestle tables which can be very pleasant on a nice summer evening.

Visited here today decided on a roast omg perfection on a plate totally homemade and very enjoyable and value for money xx

Great refurb. Makes you want to linger a while. Amazing food, service, location and atmosphere. I had a meal and drink with my family here and it made our day.

Visited The Castle this afternoon to shelter from the rain with my dog. Only wanted a quick coffee and both myself and my pug received a warm welcome. Coffee was freshly made, lovely clean decor and comfortable seating. Nice ambience. Added bonus of a bowl of water for my dog which I didn't even ask for.

I've been using the castle pub as a watering hole for many years, in the past it was mainly due to the fact it had a late license, since the new owner Patricia has taken over the standard has improved dramatically, the pub feels clean, the beer tastes better than it ever has and the environment is friendly and welcoming. Was in the pub last week and Patricia was walking around introducing herself to everyone, credit to her! Really friendly, charismatic lady. Fantastic job! 5*

I've been taking my walking group here on the last Saturday of the month for years now and what a huge improvement Patricia and her team have made. The new menu is great and the food was excellent. All 16 of us said it was the best meal we'd had for some time We're all coming back for the Christmas meal and will be back every month. Keep up the good work Patricia. It was also refreshing to find that the all intrusive TV's had gone. A pub should be a social place where you can relax and have a quite talk with friends and not have your attention distracted. Very well done.

Great pub clean helpful staff great food and very welcoming to all would recommend to all will visit again

I was very surprised and pleased on my visit to The Castle at the weekend. It's lighter, airier and the sports bar theme has gone!

Wonderful atmosphere, laid back, cosy and clean.

Had a lovely lunch here with a friend, nice atmosphere, nice and clean and great value for money. It is under new management and I look forward to seeing what their plans are.

A pub that sat alongside the castle so a great location, quick service, friendly staff, no complaints

Staff are really friendly and helped us sort out some cup cakes for my sisters birthday. Food is basic but I think this is better and it was delicious keeping things simple is the key!

Sexuality propositioned by male barman - no one cared - he gets drunk on shift.

Nipped in for a drink. Stayed to have some food. Lovely lovely people very welcoming. Food is very well priced and really nice. An absolute must do if you are in colchester.

The owners are such lovely friendly people and I love the way they get involved and chat to guests even if they have never spoken to them before.

Came here with a friend whilst visiting the area for the weekend, popped in for some food, found a nice quiet area ordered food and it came quick .. brought out by the chef who was super friendly .. I had the fish and chips and for £6.99 was one of the best fish and chips I've had.

Seven of us turned up late-ish on a bank holiday Sunday & the staff were very helpful, good food, well presented and very reasonably priced. Nice pub.

This is a nice pub right by the park in Colchester. It has a outside seated area if you want to smoke. Reasonably good food.

Terrible service, unclean pub. Avoid at all costs! Rude bar staff, beer ok. I don't know how this place is still open!

The food was terrible. I ordered a burger that came in a bun that looked like a pancake, and it tasted worse than processed. The table was sticky and there was a squashed bug on my coaster.

Spent a nice couple of hours in The Castle watching a football match with friends. Friendly staff, nice beer and cheesy chips for the children!

Waited an hour for food to arrive then when it came my plate only had 9 chips on it. No tomato in the club sandwich and it was cold aswell. Won't be coming back seems to have gone downhill.